1997 Football League play-offs
# 1997 Football League play-offs

The Football League play-offs for the 1996–97 season were held in May 1997, with the finals taking place at the old Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League First Division and Football League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the Football League Third Division table. The winners of the semi-finals will go through to the finals, with the winner of the matches gaining promotion for the following season.

## First Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 68 | 51 | +17 | 76 |
| 4 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 68 | 50 | +18 | 74 |
| 5 | Sheffield United | 46 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 75 | 52 | +23 | 73 |
| 6 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 78 | 48 | +30 | 71 |

### Semi-finals

**Second leg**

Ipswich Town 3–3 Sheffield United on aggregate. Sheffield United won on away goals.

Crystal Palace won 4–3 on aggregate.

## Second Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | Luton Town | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 78 |
| 4 | Brentford | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 74 |
| 5 | Bristol City | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 73 |
| 6 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 22 | 07 | 17 | 56 | 47 | 0+9 | 73 |

### Semi-finals

**Second leg**

Brentford won 4–2 on aggregate.

Crewe Alexandra won 4–3 on aggregate.

## Third Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | Northampton Town | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 67 | 44 | +23 | 72 |
| 5 | Swansea City | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 62 | 58 | 0+4 | 71 |
| 6 | Chester City | 46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 55 | 43 | +12 | 70 |
| 7 | Cardiff City | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 56 | 54 | 0+2 | 69 |

### Semi-finals

**Second leg**

Swansea City won 3–0 on aggregate.

Northampton Town won 4–2 on aggregate.

